Drop-bomb



L. P. BARLOW WATERPROOF DROP BOMB.

APPLICATION mm run. 1918.

1,317,612. PatentedSept. 30,1919.

INVENTOR UNITED STA'IES PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER P. HARLOW, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO MARLIN-ROCKWELL CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

WAT QRIEROOF DROP-BOMB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application m a February 27, 1918. Serial No. 219,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I Lnsrnn P. BARLow, a citizen of the United tates, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Havenfland' State of-fiConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Bombs, of which the following is a speci cation.

My invention relates to bombs or the like explosive bodies and particularly to that type of bomb which is dropped or launched from an aeroplane and explodes on contact. It is an improvement in certain respects upon the device described in my application Serial Number 195,609 entitled Contact bombs, filed October 9, 1917. In the said application a construction is illustrated in which the detonator of the bomb is normally suspended at a safe distance to the rear of the explosive chamber, and. means are provided to release the detonator upon the launching ofthe bomb. In the preferred form of the device described in said application, the detonator is suspended by means of a pin extending with a sliding fit through the walls of the casing and a portion of the detonator, a strong spring being provided to withdraw the pin from the detonator when the bomb is launched.

It is of the reatest importance that such devices should e entirely water and weather proof. My present invention is directed to the provision of means whereby the openings, through which the' slidable detonator suspending pin extends, may be efiectivel sealed at all times until the bomb is launche I accomplish this object by placing gaskets of suitable packing material about the pin and in contact with the outer surfaces of the bomb casing, adjacent to the open ngs through which the pin extends. The pm is held in position in the preferred form of my device by a flexible wire which extends through a hole in one end of the pin exterior to the casing, which wire is withdrawn at the moment the bomb is launched. The other end of the pin on the opposite side of the bomb is provided with a head or abutment and a strong spiral spring is coiled about the pin between this abutment and the gasket located on the adjacent side of the caslng. Preferably, washers are interposed between the inner end of the spring and the gasket on one side and between the flexible wire or holding means for the pin and the gasket on'the other side of the casing. The result of this construction is that the spring presses outwardly upon the head of the pin constantly, tending to withdraw the pin and pressln inwardly with its inner end upon the ad acent gasket so that bothgaskets are compressed strongly against the outer surfaces of the casing and into the 0 en-- mgs surrounding-the pin, rendering t ese openlngs entirely water and weather proof. I have found-this construction in ractice to be superior to any form of stu ng box through which the pin might extend in WhlCh the action of the spring wbuld not tend to exert presure upon the gaskets or stufiing material.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is'hereby directed to the accompanying drawing forming part of thls application and illustrating one embodiment of my invention. In the drawing the figure represents a central longitudinal section through the rear portion of a bomb embodying my invention, certain parts being shown in elevation.

Referring to the drawing, the bomb is represented as having a rear casing member 1, which is joined to a forward casing. member 2 containin the explosive chamber 3. The detonator is represented at .4' as extending rearwardly from the is connected with an extends rearwardly from the member 6, having a screw-threaded uiding tube 5 which Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

means of pin 10 which extends through the opposite walls of rear casing member 1, and through the rear portion 11 of the detonator, with a sliding fit. The pin extends some distance beyond the casing on one side and is provided at its end with an enlargement or spring abutment 1:2. Preferably, the pin is given an enlarged diameter, as is shown at 13, from the head 12 to a point adjacent the wall of the casing. to form a support for the spiral spring 14., which is coiled about the same.

Pin 10 extends a short distance beyond "the opposite wall of the casing and is provided with a transverse opening through which extends a flexible wire or cord 15 which constitutes a transversely extending holding means'for the pin. This wire 15 is withdrawn at the moment the bomb is launched or dropped from the aeroplane.

I have illustrated wire 15 as extending forwardly along the outer surface of the casing of the bomb, this position of the wire being used when the bomb is suspended upside-down in a vertical osition from the aeroplane, the bomb righting itself after being launched.

The casing member 1 is preferably provided with bosses 16, 16 on its outer surfaces surrounding the openings through which the pin 10 extends, these bosses forming seats at rightangles to the axis of the pin. Gaskets 17, 17 of a fibrous or other suitable packing material, are positioned against bosses 16, 16 so as to closely fit around pin 10. Metallic washers,1 8, 18 are loosely slipped over the pin so as to press against the outer surfaces of the gaskets 17, 17. When the parts are thus positioned the inner end of spring 1 t presses against the adjacent washer 18, while the outer end of the spring presses against the head or abutment 12 at the outer end of the pin. The outward pressure of the spring upon the abutment 12 tends constantly to withdraw the pin from the bomb and consequently causes the wire 15 at the other end of the pin to constantly press the adjacent washer 18 against the adjacent gasket 17 so that the latte' is constantly pressed against the adjacent boss 16. At the same time the inner end of spring 14 constantly presses the adjacent washer 18 inward}? against the adjacent gasket 17 and accor ingly presses the latter constantly against the adjacent boss 16. Accordingly, both gaskets are constantly compressed against the outer faces of the casing surrounding the pin openings with the result that a tight and weatherproof joint is effected at. each opening. \Vhen, however, wire 15 is withdrawn and sprin 14 expands, the pressure upon gaskets 17 is removed so that the pin may move easily through the same as 11) is ejected from the bomb by the spring. The result of this action is, of course, that the drawn when the bomb is launched, mounted .at the other end of the pin, packing material Slll'lOUIlCliDg said pin, between said holding means and the casing, packing material surrounding said pin, positioned against the opposite outer wall of the casing, and a spring mounted to continuously press said.

last named packing material against the casing, and also to press outwardly against said abutment.

In a bomb or like body, the combination of a casing, a detonator therein, a pin adapted to extend with a sliding'fit through openings in the opposite walls of'said casing, and through a portion of said detonator, said pin having an abutment at one end, a wire extending through an opening at the other end of the pin, adapted to be withdrawn when the bomb is launched, packing material between said wire and easing, packin material positioned against the outer side 0 the opposite casing wall, about the opening therein, and means for constantly and resiliently pressing said last named packing material against the casing, and said abutment .in the opposite direction.

, 3. In a bomb or like body, the combination of a casing, a detonator therein, a pin adapted to extend with a slidin fit through opp site lateral walls of sai casing, adjaceit the rear end thereof, and through a portion of said detonator, to normally suspend the latter, said pin having an abutment at one end and a transverse opening, adjacent the other. end, a connection extending through said opening, adapted to be withdrawn when the bomb is launched, gaskets of packing material surrounding said pin, positioned. against the outer walls of the casing, a washer interposed between one of said gask ets and said connection, a washer positioned against the outer surface of the other gasket, and a spiral spring surrounding said pin between, and exerting pressure upon,

said last named washer and said abutment.

4. In a bomb or like body, the combination of a casing, a member held therein, a pin to he withdrawn when the bomb is launched, casing, and also to press outwardly against v mounted at the other end of the pin, packing said abutment. 10

material surrounding said pin, between said This specificatidn signed and witnessed holding means and casing, packing material this 16th day of February, 1918.

surrounding said pin, positioned against the LESTER P. BARLOW. opposite outer Wall of the casing, and a Witnesses: spring mounted to continuously press said DYER'SMITH,

last named packing material against the I I. MOINTOSH. 

